I finally did it! My first raw raspberry cheese cake. I decided to divide the quantities I had planned by two and my hubbie and I still only managed to eat a fourth of the cake (together). How long is it going to take us to finish it? Who knows….Francois just said he had eaten for the next 3 days! Raw cheesecakes of all sorts are 95% nuts and 5% fruits (have a look at the ingredient lists and just do the maths!). No wonder it could satisfy a whole rugby team right before a world cup.

Anyway, I’m babbling (and exaggerating). I think that what I love most about this recipe is how cashew nuts beautifully enhance the flavor of raspberry, my beloved summer fruit. As a child, I used to pick them in the garden of my great-grandmother and I felt deeply connected to her through our common passion for raspberries. This dessert reminds me of her and all the good times I had inspecting raspberry bushes in the beautiful gardens of my family. This recipe is of course perfect for our vegan friends and all of us following a dairy-free diet.

Servings: 6-8 slices

Total time: preparation 30 minutes + one night in your freezer

Ingredients:

For the base:

– 1 cup almond

– 1 cup fresh dates

For the Filling:

– 1.5 cup cashew nuts, soaked for at least two hours

– ¼ cup lemon juice

– ¼ cup agave syrup

– ½ cup coconut oil

– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

– 1 pint fresh raspberries

– coconut flakes for the decoration

– almond milk (optional)

Cake Mould:

I used a 7×2 ¾’’ springform cake pan. And so should you J

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes and then drain them.

Using your food processor, mix together the dates and almonds until they clump.

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and press it with your fingertips until you get a beautiful even crust.

For the filling, mix together the cashew nuts, the raspberries, the coconut oil, tha agave syrop, the vanilla extract and the lemon juice. If the batter is too thick to your taste, you can add a few soupspoons of almond milk.

I like to have layers of different colors. If you would like to replicate the cake as it is on the picture, you can do two batches of filling: one with just a few strawberries (let’s say 5) and the other one with a lot of strawberries (just make sure you save a few for the decoration).

Pour the filling on top of the crust.

Place in the freezer at least 5 hours.

The next day, remove the vegan raspberry cheesecake from the springform cake pan. You can decorate it with fresh raspberries and sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut flakes. Bon appétit.